Though this is partially written in satire, I think that it’s a wonderful point to sometimes make to couples who are about to elope–just how to justify the costs of your services as a wedding photographer. And for years, the tradition has been to talk about the memories that they’re going to have, but they completely understand that. But what they don’t understand is the viewpoint of more than just them. So to that end, you need to think a bit more like them.

I’ve given this serious thought over the past few months, and I think that telling couples about not only the great photos that they’re going to have of them is important, but also those of their guests. Go across social media, dating apps, etc and you’ll find so many photos of folks at weddings and looking their best. Social media avatars are often images that put our best foot forward. To that end, it’s great to not only sell the idea that the couple will have fantastic photos of them, but also their friends and family will get great photos too. So packaging all that in at your price point will ensure that every single person is happy. Of course, it means that you need to either be fantastic at shooting candid portraiture or proper portraits. For the latter, a photo booth can help.